In the hangover following Kyrgyzstan’s interethnic violence of 2010, the Uzbek minority still smarts from persecution.
- While prominent Uzbek activists remain imprisoned from the period, few ethnic Kyrgyz have been prosecuted for their role in the violence that left more than 400 dead and 80,000 displaced.
- The government has been largely silent on ethnic segregation and discrimination, believing silence to be the road to reconciliation.
- Concern persists that political leaders will use nationalistic, anti-Uzbek sentiment to drum up support ahead of elections.
“The problem is not just residential segmentation, it is also cultural: apart from the bazaar, there are few inter-communal links between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks.”
More on this story at EurasiaNet.
(Image Credit: David Trilling, via EurasiaNet)
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